General Questions About Find A Grave
What is Find A Grave?
Find A Grave is a resource for finding the final resting place of family, friends, and 'famous' individuals. With millions of names and photos, it is an invaluable tool for the genealogist and family history buff. Find A Grave memorials can contain rich content including photos, biographies and dates. Visitors can leave 'virtual flowers' on the memorials they visit, completing the online cemetery experience. [Top]
Who is behind Find A Grave?
Rather than try to answer this in a FAQ, we created a dedicated page to let you meet the fine folks who make Find A Grave tick...please visit our Who is behind Find A Grave? page. [Top]
How do I join Find A Grave?
Becoming a Find A Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. To proceed, just enter your email address and choose a password on the New Member Page. We will never share your email address with anyone! If you're interested you can read our full privacy policy here.
AOL USERS: Please note that AOL has been blocking Find A Grave email from time to time. As of March 10, 2009, they were blocking our emails, but on March 19 they claimed they were lifting the block. If you are experiencing this, we recommend the use of Yahoo, Hotmail, or Gmail.
Please note that only one account per person is allowed. Multiple accounts will be merged. [Top]
How much does it cost to become a member and use Find A Grave?
Nothing. Find A Grave is completely FREE! We do not charge anything for any of our services. You can become a member, create a memorial, submit data, add flowers, add photos and search our database at no charge. [Top]
Why did you create Find A Grave?
We believe this information is important for many reasons. It is of great historical importance to have a record of all those who have been a part of our collective humanity. Burial information is a wonderful resource for people researching their families (genealogists). Most importantly, visiting a gravesite is a way of keeping the memory of someone alive. We aim to create a comprehensive 'virtual cemetery' where loved ones can visit graves, leave flowers, etc. when they cannot do so in real life due to geography, finances or other circumstances. [Top]
I'd like to link to your site or have you link to me, how do I do that?
Wonderful! Feel free to link to Find A Grave from your web page. You can build a custom link to Find A Grave here.
If you become a member of Find A Grave, your Contributor Profile has a 'Home Page' field where you can add a link to your website. [Top]
How do I cite Find A Grave in a bibliography?
Please feel free to cite Find A Grave in your bibliographies, lists of references, etc. in whatever format you deem appropriate. Please note that, while Jim Tipton is the creator of Find A Grave, he is not the author of all of the content. If the information you are referencing includes a "bio by XXXXXXX" line, please cite that author as well.
Sample citation: Bio Author. "Web Page Title". Find A Grave. Date of (your) access.
Sample citation: Bio Author. "John Doe". Find A Grave. 6-1-2008. [Top]
Is Find A Grave a non-profit organization?
No, we are not a non-profit organization. [Top]
Help...my question isn't here. How can I contact Find A Grave?
Email:
Mail:
Find A Grave
PO Box 522107
Salt Lake City, UT 84152-2107
You can also use the Find A Grave Discussion Forums to ask your question or post some corrections. Other members may know the answer to your question. Under the main Help with Find A Grave forum are the specific forums for submitting fixes, new Bios, memorial transfers, duplicate removal, negative virtual flower removal, etc. Be sure to find the first post on any of the official forums and follow the instructions listed there. [Top]
Membership / Signing In
How can I change/update my email address?
In order to change or update your email address simply follow these steps:
1. Log in to Find A Grave
2. Go to 'Contributor Tools' listed under your name on the left hand side of the page.
3. Select 'Edit Profile' from the Public Profile section of Contributor Tools.
4. Type your new address in the email box and click 'Save Changes'
Your email address will immediately be updated and all of your records will reflect your new address (unless you have chosen not to display your email address). [Top]
How do I change my password?
In order to change your password simply follow these steps:
1. Log in to Find A Grave using your email address and previous password
2. Go to 'Contributor Tools' (Once you have logged you will see 'Contributor Tools' listed under your name on the left hand side of the page.)
3. Click on the 'Change Password' button in the "Your Public Profile" section of Contributor Tools.
4. A small window/box will pop open asking you to type in your old password and then the new password you would like. Be sure to click the "Change My Password" button to save your new password.
Your new password will need to be used the next time you log in. [Top]
Why do I have to register and become a member? I'm worried about my privacy.
You don't have to register! You can search our database and visit millions of memorials and photos without registering. If you choose to ADD anything to our database, we require that you register so we can keep track of who is adding what. When you register, we require that you use a valid email in case we need to get contact you regarding your submissions. If you don't want your email to display on your Contributor Profile page, you can edit your Contributor Profile and prevent it from appearing. We will never share your email address or personal information with anyone. If you're interested you can read our full privacy policy here. [Top]
Why do I keep getting the request to sign in, right after I sign in?
It sounds like your cookies are not enabled. This can be done in your browser preferences or settings. Once you enable your cookies, the Find A Grave servers will be able to 'remember' that you are signed in. Click here to leave the Find A Grave site and visit a page that will give you detailed instructions on how to enable browser cookies. [Top]
What is a photo volunteer?
A photo volunteer is someone who is willing to take photos of headstones within a given zip code.
To become a photo volunteer login and go to your Contributor Profile page by clicking on your public name in the left hand column of the page. This will bring up your Find A Grave Contributor Profile page. Click on the 'Edit My Profile' link in the upper right corner. From here you can enter your default search zip code, choose to be a photo volunteer and if you would like to be emailed new requests in your area. The photo volunteer program is currently only available in the United States. Find A Grave does not allow photo volunteers to charge money for their services. [Top]
What is a photo request?
A photo request is tied to the photo volunteer program. If you would like to request a headstone photo of a memorial, just go to the memorial on Find A Grave. Click on the 'Request A Photo' button. This will bring up new screen allowing you to add any notes that may help the photo volunteer locate the grave location within the cemetery. You can also decide if you would like your email to be included in the email sent to photo volunteers. Then click the 'Submit Photo Request' button. Your request will be emailed to the 10 photo volunteers who live closest to the cemetery. Depending on the cemetery location and the number of volunteers in the area, it may take a few weeks or even longer for the photo request to be fulfilled. NOTE: If the memorial record does not have specific information regarding the grave's plot/location in the cemetery, please contact the cemetery office (if one is listed) to obtain the plot location and add it to your email. Many cemetery offices will only provide that information to relatives of the deceased and will not assist photo volunteers with finding the grave's location.
When you receive an email request for a photo you should follow the link in the email and log in to Findagrave. If you are willing to take the photo and the request is still "open" (meaning no one else has claimed it) then click 'claim' next to the interment's name on the photo request page. Do this before you go to the cemetery. You can get to this page a few different ways: follow the link in the photo request email that you receive, search for the cemetery and then click on the photo requests for that cemetery which are listed on the main cemetery page, or search by the zip code that you signed up for in your 'Contributor Tools'. Once you click on claim, you will have 14 days to upload the photo or the request will default back to "open". When you upload the photo, please do so by clicking on the fulfill button, which is next to the claim button. Find A Grave will know that the photo request has been filled and will email the member who requested the photo stating that it has been fulfilled. [Top]
How can I see a list of the photo requests I have claimed?
Go to your contributor tools page (be sure you are logged in first). There is a link under the Photo Volunteer section that says, "View requests you have claimed." Click on the link to see which requests you have claimed. The link will not appear if you do not have any claimed requests right now.
You may search for open requests in your zip code (or any other zip code), by using the "Search photo requests by zip: " feature that is also in that section on your Contributor page. [Top]
How do the public messages work?
Public messages are messages members can leave on your Contributor Profile page. You can turn on or off your public messages by going to 'Contributor Tools' and clicking on the 'Edit Profile' button. There are two check boxes for public messages. One to turn them on and the other to have an email sent to you when you get a new public message. Public messages left for you can be deleted by clicking on the upper right 'X' of any message you receive on your Contributor Profile page.
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Do I need a separate login for the main site and the discussion forums?
Yes. The main Find A Grave account allows you to add information, photos, flowers, etc. to our database. You sign up for this main account using your email address and a password of your choosing. When you sign up, you can pick any name you wish to be displayed on your memorials. This is called your 'public name'. You can change your 'public name' by clicking on Edit My Profile on your Contributor Profile page. Multiple people may have the same 'public name'.
The Find A Grave Forums are used by a subset of the 'main' Find A Grave contributors and therefore require an entirely different registration. The forums allow you to pick one name only which will be your displayed name on the discussion forums. Once you've signed up with a login name, you cannot change it without administration intervention, so please pick carefully. Also the forums do not allow more than one person to have the same name. It makes the interaction of a forum easier when users have distinct names.
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Do I need to use the same user name for the main site and the discussion forums?
No. The main site allows you to pick any name you wish, so if your real name is already being used by someone else, you can still use it. The discussion forums, since they are interactive, require distinct names so that when you post, you can be distinguished from everyone else.
Your name can be the same for the main site and the discussion forums, only if the name you wish to use in the forums is not already in use by someone else. [Top]
I don't want my email to show up on the records I submit, how do I remove it?
Your email would only show up on records you submit if you have typed in your email as your "Public Name" with your membership registration. If you have used your email as your "Public Name" and would like to change it to your name, a nickname, or to Anonymous, do the following: login and go to your Contributor Profile page by clicking on your public name in the left hand column of the page. This will bring up your Find A Grave Contributor Profile page. Click on the 'Edit My Profile' link in the upper right corner. In the Public Name box, type in the name you want to show up on records, notes, photos and other submissions to Find A Grave. Note: if you don't want your email to be visible on your Contributor Profile page, be sure you uncheck the box next to "Display my email on my contributor page." [Top]
What is the 'My Cemeteries' list used for?
At the top right corner of every cemetery is a button labeled "Add this to my cemeteries". This will place the cemetery in your "My cemeteries" list on your "Contributor Tools" page. Adding a cemetery to your 'My Cemeteries' list allows you to quickly pull the cemetery up via the Quick Submit Form as well as download your data for those cemeteries on your "Contributor Tools" page. [Top]
Why doesn't my interment count (or flower count, photo count, etc.) match the actual number of interments I have submitted?
The numbers you see in your 'contributions' section of your Contributor Profile are technically APPROXIMATE numbers...if we had to count up everyone's number for all the various things (interments, photos, flowers, etc.) every time their Contributor Profile page was loaded, it would be too much for the database to handle...so we store an approximate value to display when you (or others) view your profile page. This number should, in theory, get updated any time you add a new name, delete a name, etc...that's in theory...in reality, there are certain circumstances that can cause that number to not get updated...a server error, an administrator deleting a duplicate interment for you, bugs that we don't know about, etc. Because we know these numbers can drift from the accurate count, we occasionally run a script that will 'refresh' these approximate counts, bringing them into check with reality. The 'drifting count' problem happens often enough that we actually added a link to let you refresh the numbers yourself...if you are logged in, you should see a 'refresh these numbers' link under your contribution count on your Contributor Profile page. Hitting this link will reload the page with fully accurate numbers. [Top]
Searching for Information
Why can't I find the person I'm looking for?
Find A Grave is a work in progress. While we strive for a comprehensive listing of the burial places of everyone in the world, we recognize that this is a massive undertaking. We realize that there are many millions of graves out there that we do not yet have in our database. This is where YOU come in! If you know where someone is buried but cannot find them on our site, please submit the information using our free online submission form! If you don't know where they are buried and are still searching for someone, please continue to visit the site, as we are adding tens of thousands of names daily. [Top]
Where do you get your information?
Our information comes from over 400,000 registered Find A Grave contributors. Unless the contributor prefers to remain anonymous, we list their name on the memorial pages they build and the photos they submit. [Top]
Why does it keep telling me I need to add a cemetery? I thought this was FIND A Grave!
It sounds like you might be on the Submit Names page. That page is used to ADD burial information to the database. If you are SEARCHING for information, please be sure to use the Search Page. [Top]
How can I get a copy of my relative's death certificate?
In the United States, death certificates are usually public record and can be obtained for a nominal fee from state/county departments of public record (often called the Office of Vital Records). Try performing a Google search on the state where your loved one passed away and the term "death certificate."
You can try the CDC web site for more specifics by state. [Top]
Is there a way to search for a member's profile page?
Yes, but you will need to know their public name used on the main site. Go to 'Contributor Tools'. From the Customize box, click the 'edit' button next to 'My Find A Grave Friends', then select the 'Find Members' link. [Top]
Why are there multiple memorials for the same individual? How does Find A Grave handle duplicate memorials?
Because so many people use Find A Grave and add data to the site, there are often duplicate cemeteries and memorials added. This is a very common situation and is quite difficult to deal with and keep everyone happy. You should not submit duplicate memorials, but use the tools provided to submit corrections, additions or a transfer request via the "Suggest A Correction" link under the 'Edit' tab on the upper right of the memorial. If a case of duplication falls to the Adminstration, the Administration will have the final word on which memorial is deleted. [Top]
Submitting Information / Creating Memorials
Can I add my relative/friend to Find A Grave? How?
Please do! We welcome your information...please perform a search to ensure that we don't already have your loved one listed. If you don't find them, please use one of our submission forms to add your information. If you do locate the memorial, you can submit additional information to the submitter using the "Suggest A Correction" link under the 'Edit' tab in the upper right corner of the memorial.
We want as many people as possible to be able to find the names you submit, so please be sure to put the proper information in the proper field. For instance, don't put a title like "Sgt" or Rev" in the "First Name" field. See the naming conventions section below.
Links to outside websites should not be included with any memorial.
Thank you for contributing to this vital resource -- it is thanks to people like yourself that we receive countless letters from people who are grateful to find the burial information of an old friend, parent or loved one. [Top]
What are your naming conventions?
Naming conventions:
Unless the legal name contains a hyphen, punctuation, including the () and /, should not be included in the memorial name.
"First Name" - First name of the deceased.
"Middle Name" - Middle name of deceased, if known.
"Nickname" - Nickname of deceased, if known; the nick name is automatically placed in quotes.
"Maiden Name" - Maiden name of a married individual, if known; the maiden name is automatically italicized and should only be used if the individual was married and took the spouse's surname as the new surname. If the deceased was never married, then the surname should be placed in the "Last Name" field, NOT in the "Maiden Name" field.
"Last Name" - Last Name as you would find it on the tombstone, if the interred had more than one marriage or other possible spellings please place this information in the bio and use the family links.
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Why don't you have the prefix I am looking for in your drop down list of prefixes?
Our military prefixes are not meant to be comprehensive. Initially, we tried this, but there are literally hundreds and hundreds of military prefixes in the US Military, alone. We started receiving hundreds MORE from contributors in other countries and, in the end, we decided to go with an abbreviated list of military prefixes rather than presenting our contributors with a massive list to choose from. We recommend choosing the closest option (e.g., choose 'sergeant' for 'staff sergeant'). We know this drives some military people crazy because it is not as technically accurate as it could be, but it is the compromise we have chosen.
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What if the cemetery isn't listed for the names I want to add? How do I add a cemetery to the list?
We have a fairly comprehensive database of cemeteries in the United States. Please perform a search from our cemetery search page to make sure the cemetery is not already in our database. Include adjacent counties and other names which the cemetery may be known by as names do change over time.
If you still can't find the cemetery, add the person as you would any other using one of the Family and Friends forms. After selecting the state and county of the cemetery, choose the 'Add New Cemetery' option from the "--Select Cemetery-- pop-up list (it is the first option on the list, followed by the names of existing cemeteries in that county). You will be presented with a text box that will allow you to add a new cemetery. Once you have added the cemetery, it should appear in the cemetery select list for any future entries.
The name of the cemetery should be completely spelled out using no abbreviations nor punctuation, even if the "official" cemetery name is made of such abbreviations or punctuation. St. John's Cemetery would be Saint Johns Cemetery. Mt. Zion would be Mount Zion.
You should never create a cemetery by the name "unknown" or any variant. Burials where the interment is unknown should be added using the 'Other' burial option, then 'recent death, location of body unknown'. [Top]
Can I add a memorial for someone who is buried in a cemetery outside of the United States?
Yes, please use the Family and Friends form to submit these memorials. [Top]
I found an error in your data, how can I correct it?
Please email any corrections you find to the individual who created the record. Most memorials will have an 'Edit' tab on the upper right side of the memorial. Click on the 'Edit' tab, then click on the 'Suggest a correction' link on the Edit page. Follow the instructions to submit your correction.If no one is listed as creating the record, or if the record is designated as 'famous,' please email the corrections to
. Be sure to include a link to the memorial record that needs to be corrected, as well as any information about the record that needs to be corrected or added, such as the individual's full name, birth/death dates, cemetery name and location, etc. [Top]
What if someone was cremated or does not have a traditional 'grave'?
We believe everyone should be remembered equally and have built our site to support most of the common alternatives to burial, including ash scatterings, family possession of ashes and others. Anyone who has passed away can have an online memorial where relatives and friends can come and leave flowers, notes, etc. You must use the Family and Friends form to add these alternatives to traditional burial. [Top]
Can I add an obituary to my interment listing?
It is best to not copy obituary notices from newspapers to an individual's memorial record unless you have permission from the newspaper to do so. In general, obituaries in newspapers are submitted by the family. If the obituary is added to the memorial record, it should list the newspaper and date the obit was printed. Find A Grave reserves the right to remove obituary notices from memorial records.
Obituaries for "famous" individuals are usually written by newspaper staff and can not be posted to Find A Grave.
Please do not include website addresses that may be listed in the obituary as they usually expire within a year after the obituary is printed. [Top]
Is there a way to add more titles to the pull down box when adding an interment?
No more titles will be added to this pull down box. [Top]
What is a cenotaph? How do I have a memorial designated as a cenotaph?
A cenotaph is a tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of persons whose remains are buried elsewhere. It can also be the initial marker for a person who has since been interred elsewhere.
To add a cenotaph, create a memorial just like any other. Then email
with a link to the memorial and a message to mark it as a cenotaph.
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How do I submit a large set of information (a cemetery, a county, etc.)?
We love to receive large listings. There are two good options for submitting a large number of names from the same cemetery. The preferred method is our online Quick Submit form where you can rapidly submit names directly to the database (they will appear online immediately). To make this method even quicker, you might want to add the cemeteries you are working on to your 'My Cemeteries' list using the 'add this to My Cemeteries' button on the Find A Grave cemetery pages.
If you prefer to work 'offline' and are going to add at least 25 names for the same cemetery, we have an Excel spreadsheet template to help you organize your data. Once you have filled out the template, simply choose the 'Submit spreedsheet' link on the cemetery record page that the names belong to. If you are using Excel 2007, be sure to 'Save as Type' Excel 97-2003.
Please be sure to put the proper information in the proper field. Putting information in the wrong field will result in your entries not being searchable. For example, if you put "Mary" in the "Last Name" field, no one will find her when searching by name. [Top]
What about the privacy of living family members?
An individual's right to privacy disappears when they are deceased. The opinions of the relatives of the deceased fall on all sides of the question. Some people are angry to find a loved one when they come to Find A Grave, even if the memorial was added by another relative, as is usually the case, and some people are elated and send us notes of thanks for building a online memorial to their family member. If an immediate family member contacts us and wants information removed, we generally do so as a matter of respect for their wishes but we treat each request on a case by case basis.
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How do I submit a famous person to Find A Grave?
Prior to adding the memorial record for a "famous" person, you should perform a search to see if a record for that individual already exists on Find A Grave. If no record exists, you can add a famous person to the Find A Grave database using one of the Family and Friends submission forms (you do need to be a registered member of Find A Grave to add records). On the bottom of the form, there is a checkbox to indicate that the person was famous. All famous submissions go through an approval process. It may take several days before your famous submission shows up in the famous listings if it is approved. [Top]
How do I add a link from one memorial to another?
In order to create a link in the biography of one memorial to someone else's memorial (such as the person's spouse or parent), you will need to use a bit of HTML code. It's hard to put into words, so here is an example (from Johnny Carson's biography which has a link to Red Skelton's memorial page): Pioneering Television Legend, Comic, Host. Carson began his entertainment career in radio but quickly moved to television. He moved to Hollywood to become a writer for "The Red Skelton Show."
In the biography, you would need to type
< a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=XXXXXXX">Name< /a>
where XXXXXXX is the GRid number of the memorial you want to link. The GRid is a unique id for each memorial and as such is the only thing within the entire URL that must be included. The "Name" is what will show up on the screen as a link.
You will need to remove the space between < and a at the beginning as well as the space between the < and / at the end. The spaces were added here to actually show you the code.
You can also use "Add relationship links" on the memorial page. You can add the links to father, mother, and multiple spouses. Adding this information will automatically post the reverse information to the linked memorial as well. [Top]
How do I add my loved one's memorial to the online stroll?
To be added to the random walk, the interment must contain a photo of the person, an original biography and known interment information. Please email the link of the memorial page to
with the request to have the memorial honored on the random walk. [Top]
Can I add the GPS location of a grave? If so where should I add it?
Yes, you can add the GPS location of a grave. On the memorial page, select the 'Add Plot' link where the burial information is listed. On the next page you can add the Cemetery Plot information as well as the GPS coordinates for the grave. [Top]
Can I add a memorial for my pet?
Yes, when we say we want to list the burial locations of everyone, we're not kidding. Pets are an important part of many of our lives and their deaths can be a great loss.
You may want to use your family's last name as the pet's last name, to make it easier to find the memorial at a later date.
If the pet is buried in a pet cemetery, the memorial is listed as such. In the event that the pet was buried in the backyard or other non-cemetery location, please use the Family and Friends form. Select 'other' for burial, and then during step 2 select 'non cemetery burial' and fill in the detailed information. [Top]
There is no "Add a name to this cemetery" link on cemetery page. How do I add my memorials?
Please send the name and a link to the cemetery's page to
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How should I enter all married names for a woman's memorial when she was married more than once?
The 'last name' should be the name that is on the headstone. Other married names should be included as part of the biography section. The 'maiden name' should only be her maiden name. Unless the maiden name is hyphenated, no part of the name should contain any punctuation. [Top]
Is it is acceptable to add a memorial for someone who is still living?
Please try to avoid it. In general, we do not encourage adding memorials for individuals that are still living. We do realize, however, that when transcribing a cemetery, it is not always possible to determine if the person is living or not. If it is obvious that they are still living (e.g. "1909 - ____ ), please do not add them to Find A Grave. You are always welcome to create a 'pre-need' memorial for yourself, if you would like. [Top]
How should I enter a memorial when I am uncertain how many are buried in the grave?
There should be one memorial per person. Please do not create a family/group memorial. Instead each known person should have an individual memorial. They should be listed as:
First: Infant
Middle: Twin Son or Daughter
Last: Doe [Top]
Can I post animated GIFS, MIDIs (music files) or other non-personal images?
Yes, but please be sure to post them in the proper location. The photo area is ONLY to be used for photos of the person, their grave, their family, their house. A scan of your grandmother's manuscript would be perfectly acceptable in the photo area, because it is an image that is personally attached to the deceased. All 'non-personal' images must be added to the "Virtual Flowers" section, using the Custom Scrapbook functionality. 'Non-personal' images include animated GIFS, MIDI files, images of flowers, angels, flags, banners, coats of arms, etc. To add an image to the "Virtual Flowers" section, simply click on the 'Add A Flower and Note" link and choose 'My Scrapbook' from the popup list and follow the onscreen instructions. [Top]
How do I add music to a memorial page?
Find a Grave does not allow MIDI music files, animated GIF images, or flower images in the Photo section of a memorial page. These file types may still be added to the Virtual Flower section, however. Originally, we allowed the posting of these file types in the photo section, but this very important area of the site (where loved one's images appear, as well as photos of their headstone) was being filled with an untold number of non-grave memorial items, at times completely obscuring the original intent of the memorial pages. [Top]
How does Find A Grave define 'famous'?
Please don't confuse importance with fame. Every one of your ancestors is important, and every veteran deserves to be remembered and honored-but that does not mean that they are 'famous'. An individual is more likely to be designated as 'famous' on the Find A Grave site if he or she is well known outside of his or her local community. [Top]
How long does it take for the information I submit online to get added to the web pages?
In most cases, the information is available immediately. Photographs of famous individuals and their burial sites may take a few days to process. [Top]
Why are there multiple copies of the record I submitted?
Duplicate entries sometimes happen when you use the "back" button to view a newly entered record... it is best not to use that button to navigate our site because it can -- as you already know -- result in duplicated records. The other possibility is that when you are trying to edit a record you have already saved, you are using our submission form and recreating the entire record, which results in the creation of an additional record.
You are able to delete duplicate copies of records that you have created. [Top]
I don't want to submit my information and then see it for sale here or on another site. Will Find A Grave always remain a free site?
Find A Grave has been around for over ten years. Our stated goal has always been to remain a free site for everyone. We have no plans on changing that. Additionally, we claim no copyright or 'ownership' of any photos that are posted to Find A Grave. They remain your property. If we were to turn evil and start charging people to view YOUR photos against your wishes, you would have every legal right to demand that we remove them. But we're not planning on turning evil, so it shouldn't be an issue. [Top]
How do I add a memorial when I'm not sure what cemetery they are buried?
This is similiar to adding a memorial for cremation. Do not create a new cemetery which does not exist in order to add these memorials.
Use the Family and Friends link to add these memorials.
Choose "Other" under the burial option.
Choose one of the options under "General Info" on the next page. If the burial location is unknown, choose "Recent death, location of body unknown". [Top]
What can I include in a non-famous bio?
Genealogical data:
Genealogical information about the subject can be included in the biography.
Personal information:
The biography should be about the person for which the memorial is made with preference to an original biography. If a cause of death is added, it should be short and to the point, such as "Murder victim", "Suicide", etc. The bio should not look like a case file. Graphic bios are not acceptable.
Links to other websites or email addresses are not allowed within any memorial.
These guidelines will be added to and updated from time to time. Find A Grave reserves the right to edit any biography submitted to the site to conform to these and any future posted standards. [Top]
How do I add a city that does not show on your database?
We are currently working on updating the place name database, specifically within the international portion of the database. We do not have a specific estimated time of completion for any given country. You can follow the geographic status here. [Top]
Editing & Correcting Memorial Information
How do I update or delete information that I have added?
In order to update, correct or delete information that YOU have added, simply go to the grave record you would like to alter and click the 'Edit' or 'Delete' button just under the person's name. You are allowed to delete and edit all records that you create. You must be 'logged in' to Find A Grave in order to edit or delete records. To determine whether or not you are logged in, look at the bottom of the left menu. It will tell you if you are logged in or not. If you are NOT logged in, just click the 'log in' link and enter the account information you used when you added the person you are attempting to edit. Please note that if you have created a record for a "famous" person, you will not be able to edit or delete the record once it has been converted to "famous" status. Corrections and additions will need to be emailed to us at
. [Top]
How do I get a relative's memorial transferred to me?
Please contact the Find A Grave member who created the memorial via the "Suggest a Correction" link under the "edit" tab on the memorial in question with your request to have the memorial transferred to you. Also include in your request your unique Contributor ID # which is displayed to the right of your member name on your profile page.
Transfer requests should be for direct relatives within four generations, this would be your siblings, parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Keep in mind that the original contributor may also be related to the memorial and may not want to make the transfer. You may certainly request the transfer of memorials beyond the four generations, but the original contributor may choose not to transfer (the original contributor should make any corrections and add any addional information you have for that memorial, such as links to parents and spouses). Bulk surname requests should not be made. Be advised that memorials listed as famous or maintained by Find A Grave will not be transferred.
If the memorial was imported from the US Veterans Affairs or the Utah Historical Society, please email your request directly to info@findagrave.com (be sure to include your member ID # and the memorial ID #, as well as how you are related to the individual).
You may also use the "suggest correction" feature to submit corrections, an original biography, and family links to memorials that do not fall under the above defintion.
For members that receive requests, you can now honor those requests on the memorial page itself. Located in the upper right corner is the 'Transfer Ownership" link. Follow the link and type in the Contributor ID # to whom you want the memorial transfered.
This action is PERMANENT and cannot be undone. Your name will remain on the memorial as the original contributor, but you will no longer be able to edit bio, dates, etc. Please note that it is considered bad form to request a transfer and then, after receiving the transfer, delete that page and substitute it with a new memorial that you have created. This practice denies credit to the original contributor. [Top]
What if a member will not transfer my relative to me?
If the memorial in question is a direct relative (within four generations-siblings, parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents) to you, and the original submitter is not family, then your wishes supersede theirs under our "Family First" policy. If they refuse to transfer your relative to you, contact the administration and we will work on it for you.
Please remember that there are thousands of contributors to Find A Grave, and it is highly likely that some of those contributors will actually be part of your family tree and share some of your ancestors.
Also, the goal is not to "own" every memorial of those to whom you are related. The ultimate goal should be to have meaningful, accurate memorials that honor those who have passed away, regardless of who created the memorial or who maintains it. [Top]
Virtual Flowers and Notes
How do I leave a flower/note for someone listed on Find A Grave?
First, go to the record to which you wish to add flowers and/or a note. There will be a box on the right hand side that says "Leave flowers and a note for this person". Just click on that box and follow the steps. (Note: you must be registered as a member and logged in to be able to leave flowers and notes.) We want Find A Grave to remain a place of respect and remembrance, just like a real cemetery.
Do not leave derogatory or politically charged notes. Inappropriate notes will be removed, and individuals who continue to leave derogatory or politically charged notes will have their account closed. Additionally, biographical information and obituaries should not be included in a virtual flower. Limit flowers to no more than one flower per memorial per day. [Top]
What does it mean when a flower note is 'under review?'
We don't believe that a person's grave (virtual or real) is an appropriate place to express negative sentiments or your own personal political views. Unfortunately, a very small minority of people don't share our opinion and we have been forced to come up with a solution. To prevent 'virtual flower' abuse, we have instituted a 'filtering' method that will catch most negative notes and submit them for moderator review. No automatic review is perfect, however, and well-intentioned messages will inevitably fall victim to these filters on occasion. In this case, you might see an 'under review' message next to your flower where you expected you note to be. The flower will be reviewed by a moderator and, if appropriate, it will then appear on the page as you intended. The review process usually takes no longer than a day. [Top]
What if I have found flowers or notes that are inappropriate or offensive?
Please email
concerning the note and give us the relevant information such as whose memorial page it is and the date on the note, or you can copy and paste the web address(http://…..) and we will take care of it. You may also report it by clicking on the flower in question and clicking on the 'report abuse' link. [Top]
What if I make a mistake on my virtual flower or want to delete it?
Once the flower and note has been entered then you may click on the flower and you will have the option of deleting it. You may then enter the flower and note correctly.
To delete an individual flower that you created just click its graphic. You will get to the 'flower detail page', and at the top of that page, you should see a 'delete this flower' button. [Top]
What is Find A Grave's 'My Scrapbook'?
The 'My Scrapbook' feature serves two purposes. First, it lets you upload 'Custom Flowers' that can then be added to memorials, just like the standard virtual flowers. These Custom Flowers can be photos, animated GIFs or MIDI files. Second, the 'My Scrapbook' feature lets you collect and store the flowers and graphics you use most often in one convenient place.
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How do I add a 'Custom Flower' to Find A Grave?
If you have ever added a photo to Find A Grave, you'll find the process quite familiar. Simply click the 'Add new item to My Scrapbook' from this page (or from any of the 'My Scrapbook' pages), and you will be guided through the process of uploading your own Custom Flower. Remember, a Custom Flower can be a photo, an animated GIF or a MIDI music file. [Top]
How do I manage the contents of 'My Scrapbook'?
There are two ways to add a new item to your scrapbook. First, all 'Custom Flowers' that you add are automatically added to your scrapbook. Additionally, as you browse Find A Grave, if you see a flower that you like, just click on it to view it on its own page. That page will have a button at the top that will let you add the flower to your scrapbook. To delete an item from your scrapbook, simply go to go your 'Contributor Tools' page and click on the edit button next to 'My Scrapbook'. [Top]
Photo Requests
How do I submit a photo request?
To make a photo request you need to be a member of Find A Grave and there needs to be a memorial page on Find A Grave for the deceased individual. Once you are a member and once you have either found an existing memorial page for the individual or you have created a memorial page (if one did not already exist), go to the memorial record for the person whom you would like a photo taken for and click on the "request a photo" button located at the right of the record page, below the photos and above the flowers. Follow the prompts to send out emails to the photo volunteers and you should be set. Photo request is only available in the United States at this time.
NOTE: Many cemeteries are now asking that a relative of the deceased contact the cemetery to obtain plot, lot and grave location information, as well as inform the cemetery staff that a volunteer will be coming to take the photo of the grave marker. This helps with verifying that the deceased is buried there, makes it easier for the volunteer photographer to find the grave marker, and may help the photo volunteer gain permission to take the photo. [Top]
How do I upload a photo for photo request?
If you receive the emails from the photo request system then you can follow the link that is located within the email. This will take you to the claim/fulfill page where you can claim the request before you take the photo and then fulfill the request when you upload the photo. There are also other ways to get to this page. You can go to the main cemetery page (this is the page for the cemetery that has the total number of records, photos of the cemetery, a map, etc.) and then click on "# photo requests". This will take you to the claim/fulfill page. You can also search by zip code under your Contributor Tools (located in the lefthand column of the page after you are logged in). Once in your Contributor Tools, type in the zip code and then click on the search button. This will give you all the photo requests in that zip code. You can claim/fulfill from there also.
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What if the photo request cannot be fulfilled?
Please use the 'Report A Problem' option on the Photo Request page for the cemetery and memorial in question. The problem will then be displayed on the Photo Request page to inform other photo volunteers of the problem as well as emailing the member who requested the photo. [Top]
What if there is no headstone?
Some people fulfill the photo request with photographs of the area where the individual was buried. In the photo's description, please indicate that there is no head stone and give specifics as to where the the grave is - such as right next to the headstone for someone else or to the left of the tree...
Some people further enhance the photograph by:
-Placing one of the following to mark the grave location - flowers, flag, or DAR emblem
-Photographing the area and adding a graphical outline to the photograph to show exactly where the grave is located.
-Do not use computer generated markers.
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When I request a photo can I add additional information to help the volunteer?
Yes. When you request a photo, an information box will open up allowing you to add any details you think will assist the photo volunteer in locating the memorial. Additionally, if you created the memorial, you can add the plot information to the memorial as well. Many cemeteries will only give plot information to a family member, so it's always best if you call the cemetery to request the plot location and then include that information in your photo request, either in the information box that opens up or in the appropriate field on the memorial page itself. [Top]
Why can't I request a photo for a non-US cemetery?
Currently, the request a photo option is available only for United States Zip Codes. You are welcome to post photo requests for non-US cemeteries to the Find A Grave Forums (There is a link to the Find A Grave Discussion Forums in the left column of this page. You will need to create another user account to use the Forums). [Top]
Why don't I receive photo request emails?
The Find A Grave Photo Request System automatically sends out emails to volunteers who live closest to the cemetery in which the photo is being requested. If you aren't receiving photo requests, it is usually an indication that our system has found a number of contributors who live closer to the cemetery than you. You can always search your area (or any other area) for photo requests by entering a zip code in the 'Photo Volunteer' area of the 'Contributor Tools' page. [Top]
When I search for photo requests by zip code the distances do not make any sense, why is that?
The measurement is taken point to point from the center of the zip code entered to the location of the cemetery in order of precedence:
1. The cemetery lat/lon, if we have it...
2. The cemetery's city lat/lon, if we have city information for the cemetery...
3. The geographic center of the cemetery's county, which we always have (but this method is not very accurate, as you might imagine).
Zip codes are not uniform in shape nor size. The distance is an approximation and does not account for driving distance, just point to point. [Top]
I requested a photo and received undeliverable emails back to my inbox, what now?
When you register a Find A Grave Photo Request, our system automatically generates an email to the ten closest photo volunteers. It is not uncommon for a few of these emails to be returned to you as 'undeliverable'. This happens when people change their email address and forget to update their Find A Grave profile.
If you receive 'undeliverable' or 'bounced' email notifications after making a photo request, please submit the bad email addresses using this form. There is also a link to this form on your 'Contributor Tools' page (in the 'Photo Request' section). [Top]
Are there any guidelines in order to take a photo of a headstone that is hard to read?
Unless you are related to the interred on the headstone in question, we DO NOT recommend you do anything to the headstone. You can try different angles in relation to the sun to achieve a better photo. [Top]
Is there a way to view the photo requests I have claimed?
Yes. Go to your 'Contributor Tools' page. In the Photo Volunteer section there will be a link labeled 'view requests you have claimed'. [Top]
Can I charge money to fulfill a Find A Grave photo request?
Find A Grave's Photo Request System is a network of volunteers, helping others freely. Please do not request any money for your photo volunteer service. Doing so violates the spirit of the volunteer system and is against Find A Grave policy. Repeated abuse of this policy will result in account suspension. [Top]
Can anybody fulfill a photo request or do you have to be a photo volunteer?
You do not need to be a photo volunteer to fulfill a photo request. By going to your 'Contributor Tools' page, you can search for requests by Zip Code and claim and fulfill them in this way. [Top]
Working with Photos
Can I add photos of 'non-famous' people and/or of the grave?
Yes! We think that the online memorials are greatly enhanced by biographical photos, family photos as well as shots of the actual headstone. Please, no post-mortem photos (showing the deceased) of any kind. To add a photo for a non-famous person, simply go to their grave record and click the 'Add a photo' button. There is a limit of 5 total photos on non-famous memorial pages, unless the page has been sponsored then the limit increases to 20 photos. [Top]
What kind of photos may be added to a memorial page?
You may add photos of the headstone, of the person, family, or home. Photos of the cemetery gate should not be added to the memorial but to the cemetery's page. There is a limit of 5 photos for non-famous memorials that have not been sponsored. Sponsored memorials may have up to 20 photos.
General Guidelines:
NO COPYRIGHTED PHOTOS!!!
JPEG format preferred (.jpg or .jpeg).
200-800 pixel width and less than 250 KB
Cropped with no surrounding white space.
No decorative graphics or animated GIFs.
No white space around the photo
No photo frames (the ones added with a graphic program)
No graphic embellishments (photo graphics like flowers put randomly on a photo)
No post-mortem photos.
No photos taken from other web sites!!!
[Top]
How do I add a photo?
1. Log in to your account (Not a member? It's free click here to register)
2. Go to the individual's memorial record.
3. Click the "Add a photo" button on the right side of the memorial record.
4. Follow the instructions. [Top]
How many photos may be added to a memorial page?
The number of photos that may be added to a memorial page depends on the type of memorial. Up to 5 photos may be added to the memorial pages of individuals who are "non-famous," if the memorial is not sponsored. If the non-famous memorial is sponsored, up to 20 photos may be added. For memorial pages of "famous" individuals, we usually limit photos to one good biographical photo and enough photos of the grave to show it in its entirety (usually 2-4 photos). Please do not submit any photos that are protected by copyright laws. [Top]
Can I add a photo that I found on a different website?
No. Please do not add photos to Find A Grave that you have acquired from another source. Photos fall under copyright protection laws. In general, if you did not take the photo yourself, you should not post it. The only exceptions to this are photos that are old enough to have fallen into the public domain and photos for which you have received written consent from the copyright holder. [Top]
How do I add a cemetery photo?
Go to the main cemetery page and click on the 'Add a photo for this cemetery' button.
Cemetery photos can include the main gate, the cemetery sign, or panoramic view of the cemetery. [Top]
The "Add a photo for this cemetery" button is missing, what should I do?
When we determine that we have enough cemetery photos for a particular cemetery, we turn off the link to add new photos. If you believe your photo is significantly better than one of the current photos, please contact us at
. Include the URL to the cemetery and photo in question. The photo may or may not be accepted. [Top]
How do I delete a photo?
In order to delete a photo you have added to a memorial, you first must make sure you are logged in. Next, go to the person's memorial for whom you added the photo. Click on the photo you have added and on the page that comes up there will be a button above the photo that says, "Delete." Click that button to delete the photo.
If you want to delete a photo left by someone else, you will need to contact the individual who added it and ask them to remove it. If you want to delete a photo you have added to a cemetery page, please email a link to the cemetery page and a description of the photo to delete to us. [Top]
How do I correct a wrong cemetery photo?
You will need to send an email to
with a link (URL) to the cemetery, the name of the cemetery, and a description of the photo in question. [Top]
How do I correct an icon for a photo which I submitted?
You will need to delete the photo and re-add it. To do this, click on the photo to enlarge it and click on the "Delete" button. Then re-submit it and be sure to pick the correct photo category.
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Someone posted my copyrighted photos! How can I get them removed or get them properly credited?
It is a violation of Find A Grave policy to post such photos. There is a link to this policy on every single content page at the Find A Grave website. As you probably know, having a policy is one thing, but enforcing it can be exceedingly difficult. Once an image is posted anywhere on the internet, many people believe it is 'free game' for them to take and use as they wish. Physically (or electronically) preventing this is an impossible challenge because anything that can be viewed on a screen can be captured and reused. That leaves us with a policy, which we clearly state and enforce when violations are brought to our attention. Users who have posted copyrighted material will be sent a warning. Repeat offenders of our copyright policy will have their account suspended.
If you find any copyright abuses posted by Find A Grave users, please report them by sending us an email with a link to the photo(s). We respect copyright laws as well as the ethics of 'giving credit where credit is due'. Please let us know if you would prefer to have your photos removed or simply transferred to your Find A Grave account. If you prefer to have them transferred please be sure to include the email address associated with your account if it is different from the address you are writing from (don't forget to include a link to the photo). If you do not have a Find A Grave account and would like one, we can create one for you and transfer the photo credits to the new account.
Email:
[Top]
I found a photo of a relative on Find A Grave, can I use it?
Photos posted to memorials on Find A Grave are copyrighted by the member who submitted the photos. Lifting the photo to use elsewhere would be a violation of copyright. You must obtain written permission from the member to use any photo for your own use. In general if you did not take the photo yourself, you do not hold the copyright to the photo. [Top]
How do I submit a photo of a famous person?
In general, we limit the number of biographical photos of "famous" individuals to one photograph and the number of grave photos to 4 or 5. If we are still accepting biographical and/or grave photos for a famous individual, there will be a link near the bottom of the memorial page (above the "How famous or infamous was this person?" section) that states, "Do you have a photo to add? Click here." Click on that link and follow the instructions to add the photo.
Please do not submit photos that are protected by copyright laws. Please do not copy photos from other web sites, as they are probably protected by copyright. [Top]
I feel I can enhance other people's photos through photoshopping techniques. Should I do so?
With the technology available today one certainly has the ability to alter and change any picture they come across on Findagrave. However, even though you might think the altered finished product is better than what was originally submitted, one has to assume that what has been contributed to Findagrave is satisfactory to the original submitter. Unless you have express permission to do so, do not in any way alter existing photos of any kind and resubmit them onto the website. Doing so is expressly prohibited. [Top]
Sponsoring Memorials
What does it mean to 'sponsor' a Find A Grave Memorial?
Sponsoring a memorial page will permanently remove the annoying ads from the page...and it only costs $5! The number of photos on a sponsored memorial is increased from 5 to 20. Sponsoring memorials is a great way to donate to Find A Grave because you can actually see the effects of your donation instantly! To sponsor any non-famous Find A Grave Memorial page, simply click the sponsorship link at the top of the page, fill out the secure sponsorship form and you're done! Both you and the submitter of the memorial will receive an email stating that the memorial has been sponsored. (Famous memorials may not be sponsored.)
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Why can't I find the "Sponsor This Memorial" button on a famous memorial?
Famous memorials can not be sponsored. [Top]
Famous Memorials
What are the guidelines for a famous Bio?
Many of Find A Grave's "famous person" biographies are pretty sparse. We simply have not had time to research, write and edit bios for the 100,000+ names listed. If you are interested in someone and would like to contribute a biography, we would love to have it. Any text you send to Find A Grave is subject to editorial alterations and will become the property of Find A Grave, Inc.
Please follow these guidelines. [Top]
What is a fame rating?
At the bottom of all famous memorials at Find A Grave, there is a rating system for fame. If you are logged in, you can rank someone's fame by clicking on one of the 'star' options. A vote of one star indicates that the person was barely famous. A vote of five stars indicates that the person achieved world wide fame. Please do not confuse fame with importance when voting. [Top]
Virtual Cemeteries
What is a Virtual Cemetery?
A Find A Grave Virtual Cemetery is essentially a collection of names from the Find A Grave database. As a Find A Grave contributor, you can build Virtual Cemeteries to group listings in whatever way you would like. For example, you might make a 'Smith Family Virtual Cemetery' where you would place all of the members of your Smith family tree. Other examples: 'My Favorite Actors' or 'Memorials I Visit Often'. A VIRTUAL CEMETERY HAS NO RELATION TO A REAL CEMETERY! People listed in your VIRTUAL cemeteries can be buried in many different REAL cemeteries. You can add any name in the Find A Grave database to the Virtual Cemeteries you create and you can choose to make your Virtual Cemeteries visible to the visitors of your Find A Grave Contributor Profile page. [Top]
How do I create a virtual cemetery and add memorials to it?
To create a virtual cemetery, go to your contributor tools(left hand column after logging in). Once there click on the edit button across from "my virtual cemeteries". Then you will be able to add a new virtual cemetery or edit any that you have already created. Once you have created a virtual cemetery it will show up in your contributor tools. Go to the memorial that you would like to add to your virtual cemetery. Underneath the memorial's burial information is a link that says "Edit Virtual Cemetery" and "What's this". Click on "Edit Virtual Cemetery" and it will bring you to your list of virtual cemeteries. There is a box next to each virtual cemetery that you have created. Check the box(click the mouse on it) on the virtual cemetery you would like to add this memorial to and then click "save changes". This will add the person to that virtual cemetery. [Top]
How do I remove a name from a virtual cemetery?
Go to the memorial that you would like to remove from your virtual cemetery. Underneath their burial information there is a link that says "Edit Virtual Cemetery" and "What's this". Click on "Edit Virtual Cemetery" and it will bring you to your list of your virtual cemeteries. There is a checked box next to each virtual cemetery that the memorial is attached. Check the box (click the mouse on it) on the virtual cemetery you would like to remove this memorial from and then click "save changes". This will remove that memorial from that virtual cemetery. [Top]
Cemeteries
Can I add a cemetery bio and address information?
Yes. Please email the URL to the cemetery along with the information to
. [Top]
There's a cemetery that has both an official name and a commonly used name. How should it be listed?
The cemetery should be listed by its official name. You can then email the URL of the cemetery along with any other names that it goes by to
. An AKA(s) for that cemetery will be added to the name field. [Top]
What if I notice that there are duplicate listings for the same cemetery in the same county and I know that there is only one?
Please send any corrections that you are sure of to
and we will merge the cemetery records into one listing. It is particularly helpful if you have an address for the cemetery (we can add that to the cemetery's record, too). [Top]
How do I add a map to a cemetery record?
Please email the latitude and longitude coordinates in decimal format (dd.dddd) to:
. Be sure to include the link to the cemetery, cemetery name, city, county, and country in your email, so we know which cemetery the gps coordinates are for.
Or you can post your request to the GPS Discussion Forum. [Top]
Why are some cemetery names spelled in full and some abbreviated?
Are there rules/preferences for spelling and punctuation?
When contributors create cemeteries, they often abbreviate. When these are reported to admin, the names are standardized. Saint should always be spelled out; no apostrophes or other punctuation should be included. So St. Mary's becomes Saint Marys. Also, virtually all cemeteries should end in "Cemetery" or "Memorial Park." [Top]
Where should the GPS coordinates be placed for a cemetery?
For large cemeteries, it should be at the main entrance.
For rural cemeteries with access roads, it should be at the access road entrance.
For rural cemeteries along a road, centered is fine.
In general, the smaller the cemetery, the more important that it is centered. [Top]
Cemetery Preservation
How do I clean a headstone?
Unless you are related to the interred on the headstone in question, we DO NOT recommend you do anything to the headstone.
Gravestones should never be cleaned with anything but water and a soft brush. Slate gravestones from the Revolutionary era and Pre-revolutionary era are best left alone due to their delicate nature and tendency to erode.
Never apply bleach, ammonia, shaving cream, chalk, firm pressure or use anything abrasive.
We recommend you consult a professional before any attempt to clean a headstone is made.
-member RDigati [Top]
How do I clean a bronze marker?
Unless you are related to the interred on the headstone in question, we DO NOT recommend you do anything to the headstone.
The green is called verdigris and is the natural progression of bronze exposed to the elements, the verdigris will protect the bronze from further decay and SHOULD NOT be removed. Most if not all bronze when new will have a chemical patina applied to the bronze before installation that will over the years fail and expose the raw bronze to the weather that will then turn to the green that you see. The only way to slow verdigris bloom is to maintain the bronze every year from new. And the only correct treatment option with bronze that has verdigris is to apply a new patina to the bronze.
NOTE:Patinas come in many different colors, all bronze should be checked to insure that the green was not wanted.
This is not a do it yourself task and if done incorrectly it could damage or destroy the bronze object. And should only be done by those trained in the conservation of bronze.
-Member David (Murmur) [Top]
Common Complaints
Why do the people at Find A Grave take so long to answer emails?
We apologize for the delay in responding to your emails. Unfortunately, we are very, very slow to respond to email messages, because most of the email is answered by one person. With 25,000 people using the site a day, thousands of emails come in every week and we are almost always back logged. Tips: Many of the emails we receive have been answered in the other FAQs on this page, so please be sure to read these through. Other contributors can often answer your questions faster than we can. There's an entire thread dedicated to getting help with Find A Grave at the Find A Grave forums. The thousands of SPAM and computer virus emails we receive each day also slow down our ability to identify and answer legitimate emails. If you do need to contact us by email, try to put the main topic of your question in the "Subject:" field (for example, Subject: Cemetery address correction). Many SPAM emails use "Hi," "Hello," and "Question" in their Subject fields, so we often do bulk deletions of emails that have those words in the Subject line. Give as many specifics as possible in your message. Include links (URLs) to the memorials or web pages you are writing about, as well as names, dates, and locations. There are quite a few John Smiths in our database, so asking us to correct the birth date for John Smith doesn't give us enough information to make the correction. Again, we are sorry we take so long to respond, and we thank you for your patience! [Top]
Why do you allow those annoying flashing ads to be placed on your pages?
Find A Grave could not exist without the revenue we receive from advertising. It is advertising that pays the bills – and there are certainly a lot of those! We work with a third party that serves ads to this site. They control – within certain parameters – the specific ads that appear on this site. We have no control over whether they flash, blink, etc. We have contacted them to let them know that we and many of our users find the "animated" ads especially annoying. [Top]
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